Switch-supporting attachment for electric fixtures



F. L. BUTLER.

SWITCH SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC FIXTURES. APPLICATION. FILED APR. 25. 1921.

1 A 39645 0 Patented July 25, 1922..

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1922.

Application filed April. 25, 1921. Serial No. 464,090.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that LFRANK L. BUTLER, a, citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switch Supporting Attachments for Electric Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to electric fixtures adapted to be attached to a ceiling and more particularly to electric fixtures having a depending stem.

An object of: myinvention is to provide in an electric fixture of the type described a stem provided with means adapted for connection with a lighting fixture elementand with a switch for controlling the opera tion of incandescent lamps carried by the lighting fixture element, whereby the lighting fixture elements and the switch are supported by the stem.

A further object of my invention is to provide in an electric fixture of the type described a novel attachment embodied in the stem of the fixture.

A further object of my invention is to provide in an electric fixture of the type described a stem provided with means for sup-porting a switch close to the stem.

A further object of my invention isto provide a device of the character described in which the number of essential parts is reduced to'a minimum and consequently ease of assembly is obtained.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a device of the type described that is thoroughly practical commercially.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, "forming part of this application, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing the use and application of the device,

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 with parts broken away, I

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the use and application ofthemodified form of the device,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the use and application of still another modified form of the device.

In carrying out my invention in its preferred form, as illustrated in Fig. 1, I pro vide a stem, indicated generally at 1, for an electric fixture that is operatively connected. with a ceiling 2 to depend therefrom. The stem 1 has the usual conopy 3 mounted thereon and maintained in adjusted position relative to the stem by means of a set screw 4;. contacting with a tubular member 5, embodied in the stem. A rod 6 is disposed within the tubular member 5 and is connect. ed at its upper end with a fixed support (not shown) so that the lower end thereof which is threaded at 7, extends below the corre-.

the usual loop, I provide'an attachment indicated generally at 8 and comprising a body portion 9 having the form of a, substantially cylindrical member adapted to enter the lower end of the tubular member 5 and bein fashioned with a flange 10, thereby providing a seat for the tubular member 5. The body portion 9 has a central threaded opening 11 adapted for engagement with.

the threaded lower end of the rod 6. Diametrically opposed vertically extending grooves 1212 are provided in the outer wall of the body portion 9, ,as best seen in Fig. 2. An integral loopextension 13 to the body portion 9 has depending therefrom av chain 14 adapted for connection with an electrlc lighting fixture element, such as a chandelier (notshown). Electrical conducting wires 15 connected with the electric light-- ing fixture element are projected through the grooves 1212 into the interior of the tubular member 5 and arranged for operative connection with electrical conducting means (not shown) that areordinarilyinstalled in the ceiling 2.

An integral lateral extension consists of arms 16 and 17 merging into the flange 10 i tubular member 18 by a set screw 22. A switch 23 that is ordinary in construction is connected in an ordinary manner with the elbow cap 21 and is provided with the usual pull cord 24. Electrical conducting members 25 extend from the electric lighting fixture elements (not shown) that have been heretofore referred to and are arranged to enter the switch 23 through the bore 26 of the tubular member 18. A return wire 27 from the switch 23 is projected upwardly through one of the grooves 1212 for operative connection with the electrical conducting means install d in the ceiling 2, as will be understood.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The switch 23 is supported adjacent to the stem 1 by the same means that supports the lighting fixture elements carrying the lamps controlled bythe switch. Consequently, operation of such incandescent lamps is controlled by means of the pull cord. 24. Since the switch 23 is supported adjacent to the stem 1, it is obvious that a great saving in material and in the time required to install and assemble a complete lighting system is effected. In the usual assembly of the parts of a complete lighting system, the switch is disposed in a suitable receptacle or the hke attached to a wall at a considerable distance from the lamps controlled thereby and from the electrical conducting wires passing through the stem 1. It is therefore necessary in the ordinary construction to insulate the fixture of which the stem is a part from the switch 23 and to provide electrical conducting means operatively connecting the incandescent lamps depending from the stem 1 with the switch, such electrical conducting means ordinarily being imbedded in the wall. When my improved device is used the work of installing and assembling a complete system is reduced to a. minimum and furthermore the assembly of the switch may be accomplished coincidently with the assembly of the fixture of which the stem 1 is a part and without additional labor. It will be observed that a single member con nected to a fixed support maintains the tubular member 5 in adjusted position, sup ports an electric lighting fixture element, (not shown) supports theswitch for controlling the operation of the incandescent lamp carried by the electric lightingfixture element, and serves as a means for guiding and carrying the electrical conducting wires embodied in the lighting system.

Referring now to Fig. 3, I have shown a modified form of the attachment in which the body portion 9 is formed with a threaded 1 ,eaaeas and depends below the end of the tubular member 5 of the stem. The electrical conducting wires 15 are passed upwardly through the tubular member 31 and conse quently th body portion 9 need not be pro vided with the grooves 12-12 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The modified form of the device shown in Fig. 3 is otherwise identi cal with the preferred form of the device in essential respects and requires no further description. The same reference numerals have been used to denote like parts through out the several views.

In Fig. 4 another modification of the invention is illustrated in which the bodyportion of the attachment has the form of a ring 40 fittinga tubular member 41 that is included in the stem of the fixture to which the device is applied. A set screw 42pr0 jectedthrough a threaded opening 43 in the link engages with the tubular member 41 to maintain the body portion in adjusted position. The tubular member 41 is formed with an inwardly extending flange 44 at its lower end resting upon alined. shoulders 45 and 46, provided by cutting away the remote walls of a. U-shaped end portion 47 of a rod 48 that extends through the tubular member 41 for engagement at its upper end with a fixed support (not shown). A lateral extension 49 to the body portion 40 is integral with the latter and fashioned to provide a tubular extremity 5O threaded at 51 and fashioned with a shoulder 52. The switch 23 is supported at the end of the tubular extremity by the cap 21 and maintained in adjusted position with respect theretoby the set screw 22. It will be understood that an electric lighting fixture ele ment (not shown) is supported from the U-shaped body portion 17 and that the electrical conducting wire 53 extends therefrom into the tubular member 41 at the lower end of the latter. Another electrical conducting wire 54 extends from theelectric lighting fixture element to the switch 23 through the tubular extremity 50 and a return wire 55 from the switch is arranged to enter the tubular member41 at the low-er end thereof. The operation ofthe modified form of the device illustrated in Fig. 4 is otherwise identical with the operation of the preferred form of the device. and consequently requires no further description.

I claim:

1. In an electricfixture, a stem comprising a vertically disposed rod supported at its upper end and threaded at its lower end, a tubular member arranged to encircle the rod, and means engaging with the red at the lower endithereof and contacting with the tubular member at its lower end for supporting the latter, said means comprising a flanged body portion provided with a threaded opening arranged to engage the threaded rod and formed with a lateral extension adapted for connection with a switch and with a loop portion adapted for connection with means for supporting an element to depend therefrom, said body portion being formed with an opening therethrough adapted to guide an electrical conducting wire into the tubular member, and said lateral extension being formed with a bore for guiding an electrical conducting wire into the switch.

2. In an electric fixture, a stem comprising a rod, a tube disposed over said rod, a member having a threaded bore adapted to receive said rod and to be supported thereby, said member being adapted to support said tubular member, and having a laterally extending tubular portion adapted to receive an electric light switch, and said member having a loop adapted to support an electric lighting fixture.

FRANK LOWELL BUTLER. 

